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Stuck at the Airport?

Improved Services Take the Edge Off the Wait Destinations:
Amsterdam, Copenhagen, London, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong,
Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Vancouver, Guangzhou Author: Charis Atlas
Heelan Each year a number of organizations, publications and
authorities publish their listings and awards for the best
international airports in the world. The criteria they often use in
the judging are a combination of customer satisfaction, amenities,
information services, signage, transport, baggage services, delays
etc. But if you happen to be stuck at an airport due to a flight
delay, cancellation or some other annoying stumbling block, then
other things may be more important to you. For example, you're
stranded at an airport for 12 hours during a strike and you've
already been flying all day. You don't care about transport or
picking up your baggage, but you do want to take a shower, eat a
decent meal, take a nap, see a movie, go online, get a massage or
have a swim. All these things and more are possible at some of the
best airports in the world. In general, major Asian airports always
rate well. Most are relatively new and modern with sleek
architectural design, massive shopping centers, a variety of food
outlets and some extra special services that make long stays a bit
more tolerable. Most also have smoking rooms or outdoor smoking
areas for those who cannot possibly last without a cigarette for an
extended period. In 2004, Hong Kong Airport (www.hkairport.com)
received the most accolades and awards. The airport features a
beauty salon, a shower and relaxation lounge, napping rooms,
massage chairs, foot massage facilities, a business center,
children's play area, TVs at almost every gate and of course enough
duty free stores and boutiques to keep both you and your credit
card busy for hours. Some amenities are free, whilst others are pay
for use. Day use of the Travelers' Lounge and Plaza Premium Lounge
is $19 for adults and children over six (children under six are
free) for two hours and $32 for up to ten hours. This includes food
and beverages, showers, Internet access, international television,
newspapers and magazines in a comfortable seating area. Showers are
$8, gym usage with showers is $19 and a shower and nap package,
including a shower, a two-hour nap in a semi-private room, shower
gel, towel, hair dryer and amenities is $25 for adults and $10 for
children six to twelve. Besides Hong Kong Airport, The Travelers'
Lounge and Plaza Premium Lounge (www.plaza-ppl.com) also manage
similar facilities at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, Kuala Lumpur
International Airport, Singapore Changi Airport and Vancouver
International Airport. Don Muang Bangkok Airport
(www.bangkok-bkk.com) may not be as visually pleasing or as modern
but it does have a number of massage centers, which certainly makes
up for the less than average food facilities and shopping options.
At the larger massage places, you can even sleep (albeit on mats on
the ground for around $18 for four hours. Wireless LAN Internet
access is available from hotspots almost anywhere in the airport
for a nominal fee of $6 for one hour's access time. There is also a
24-hour Internet caf†P, 24-hours snack bar, games room, beauty
salon, sauna, children's play area, a video games room, smoking
rooms, and strangely, laundry services. Tropical fruit shops also
ensure that you won't be stuck with fast-food alone. The 110 room
Louis Tavern Dayrooms Transit Hotel, which is inside the
international transit lounge offers rooms for $40 for six hours,
which are clean and comfortable with good facilities. You can get a
50% discount if you can show them a Thai Airways ticket. My
personal favorite is still Singapore Changi Airport
(www.changi.airport.com.sg), which was for many years the
international standard. Among the facilities to be found in its
terminals are a supermarket, sports lounge, smoking terrace, a free
24-hour movie theater, massage center, indoor gardens, jacuzzis,
and a rooftop swimming pool with sunbaking deck. Massage services
and even oxygen therapy start at low rates of $14 and $9
respectively. Napping rooms are $18 for two hours and gym usage
with sports attire is priced at $9 (without sports attire it is
$6). There are more than 200 free Internet PCs located throughout
the two terminals, allowing travelers to surf the Internet and
check their e-mails at no cost. Transit/transfer travelers with at
least five hours to spare can go on a two and a half hour free
sightseeing bus tour of Singapore. Unfortunately Changi does not
always have the best selection of food available, especially in the
wee hours. An honorable mention must go to Tokyo Narita Airport
(www.narita-airport.jp/) for its vast array and quality of food.
Narita airport's restaurants feature Japanese, Western and Chinese
cuisine offering everything from light meals to full-course menus.
Other useful amenities include audio/video screening rooms (you can
bring your own DVDs or they can supply them), reflexology, massage,
hair and nail salons, all at reasonable rates. Three European
airports are worthy of a mention in the context of excellent
facilities, albeit often at inflated Euro-inspired prices.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (www.schiphol.nl) has long been regarded
as Europe's finest. Some of its more unique features include art
exhibits, an oxygen spa, a casino, and free Nintendo games. A
shower here though will set you back almost $20 and, as it isn't a
24 hour airport, almost everything closes down by midnight,
including food outlets and TV's. Copenhagen Kastrup Airport has an
enormous play area for children in the transit area featuring a
play-on airplane where children can crawl on the wings and wiggle
through the cabin, giant mural of the international icons, and a
fire pole - perfect for keeping the smallest travelers occupied
during long transits and unexpected delays. The giant M&M store
may be another distraction for adults and children alike. London
Heathrow (www.baa.co.uk) is always an entertaining airport despite
the high cost of almost everything and its massive, almost
intimidating size. You have to pay for your wireless computer
signal here ($12 per hour or $30 for up to 24-hours) as any free
transmission is blocked. The shops are excellent and varied and the
food outlets offer some surprisingly delicious and healthy
alternatives to the fast food nightmare of other airports. Showers
are free if you have your own towel, otherwise they are $6. For US
and Canadian airports, www.skyguide.net provides a comprehensive
reference website outlining, which airports have spa and massage
services, gyms, hair salons, medical clinics, DVD movie and player
rentals and even spiritual centers. Although in theory you cannot
realistically plan for delays at airports, if you do have a long
lay-over at a particular airport or you are nervous about making
connections, you may want to do a little research by visiting
individual airports' websites prior to your departure. Sometimes
just being in the know can make the difference between a pleasant
trip and getting stuck in an airport from hell.

Have you ever seen the way baggage handlers treat your baggage

Lost luggage - Baggage missing

Luggage - Baggage Tracing. Yours is missing? 360 Airlines are using
the Worldtracer system. Many airlines have a link to Worldtracer on
their website. Look on the website if your Airline is a member. See
the link below.

CLICK BELOW TO "AVOID DELAYS IN THE USA"

Warsaw Convention

Cancelled flights Under the Warsaw Convention, airlines are obliged
to compensate passengers if they fail to get them to their
destination within a reasonable time of their scheduled arrival -
around six hours for a long-haul flight. Compensation claims depend
on what causes the delay. Bad weather, an event outside the
airline's control, is unlikely to result in substantial
compensation. New regulations from the EC will increase and broaden
the current compensation scheme for air travellers who are denied
boarding, or where a flight is cancelled or delayed. These are not
yet in force, but are likely to be so from early 2005. For
cancellation by the airline or tour operator, passengers will have
the right to cash compensation at the same levels as those for
denied boarding, unless: They are informed two weeks before the
scheduled time of departure, or They are informed in due time and
rerouted at a time very close to that of their original flight. In
addition, when a cancellation delays a passenger for at least five
hours passengers will receive meals and refreshments, and hotel
accommodation, when cancellation obliges passengers to stay
overnight, and reimbursement of the ticket. Denied boarding Under
European regulations, passengers who have been bumped off scheduled
flights from European destinations are entitled to the following
rights, according to the Consumers' Association: A full refund, a
seat on the next available flight to their destination or another
flight at a later date of their choice On-the-spot cash
compensation of around 150 euros for flights of up to 3,500km, and
around 300 euros for longer flights This compensation is halved if
the airline can get passengers to their destination within two
hours of the scheduled arrival time, or four hours for flights of
over 3,500km People should be entitled to a free telephone call to
their destination, meals during their wait and accommodation if
necessary.

15.09.2015

Spanish air traffic controllers call new strikes

Spanish air traffic controllers will restart partial strikes in the coming weeks in protest against sanctions imposed by airport authorities on some staff, unions said on Monday.

Controllers will strike between 0600 CET and 1800 CET (0400 GMT to 1600 GMT) on Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, the USCA union said in a statement. It had suspended industrial action in August, one of the busiest months for tourist arrivals.

update: Spanish air traffic controllers have called off a new 12-hour stoppage planned for October 3